The Ancient And Mysterious Order Of The Druids.

the entrance of the sun into the sign of Taurus at the vernal equinox , but in consequence of a certain slow periodical revolution of the pole of the equator round the pole of the ecliptic , completed in 25920 years is removed far in the year

from its original situation . This festival , it appears from a letter in the Asiatic researches from Col . Pearce , is celebrated in India on the 1 st of May , in honour of Bhavani ( a personification of vernal nature ) , the Dea Syria of Clialdea , and the Yenus

Urania of Persia . A May-pole is erected , hung with garlands , around which the young people dance precisely the same as in England . At Slingsby , about seven miles from Malfcon , there is a May-pole yet standing , I saAV it myself last

summer Avhen on a visit to Hovingham . The object of the festival , I think with Mr . Maurice , cannot be disputed , and that its date is coeval with a time Avhen the equinox actually took place on the first of May . " He says , " NOAV the vernal

equinox , after the rate of that procession , certainly could not have coincided with the 1 st of May , less than 4 , 000 before Christ , which nearly makes

the era of the Creation . " Ai : d he says , " I have little doubt , therefore , that May-day , or at least the day on which the sun entered Taurus , has been immemoriably kept as a sacred festival from the creation of the earth ancl man , and was

origininally intended as a memorial of that auspicious period , and that momentous event . The festival of the 25 th December Avas celebrated by the Druids in Britain and Ireland , Avith great fires lighted on the top of hills . This festival Avas

repeated on the 12 th day , or on what Ave call the Epiphany . In some parts the fires are still continued . The evergreens and particularly the misletoe , which are used all OA er the

country , ancl even in London , in this festival betray its Druidical origin . These had evidently nothing to do Avith Christianity . When the end of the year approached , the Druids marched with great solemnity to gather the misleto of the oak

in order to present it to Jupiter , inviting all the world to assist in this ceremony Avith these Avords - — " Tho NOAV Year is at hand , gather the misleto . " Picard ( p . 65 ) says that in Burgundy the common people on the first day of the year salute one

another in these Avords—'' Au guy , Fan ncsiif—Ad Viscuni , annas novus . " The reply is "Plante , Piantij , " Avhich means a prosperous year to you . I will now conclude this lecture by giving a short account of the Y Macn Chwyf , or rockiug-stone .

It is situated on the western brink of a hill called Coed-pen-Maen , in the parish of Eglwysilan , Glamorganshire . The name of the hill Coed-pen-Maen ( viz ., the AVOOC ! of the stone summit ) is doubtless derived from this stone which , in

primitive ages , under the Druidic theology , was venerated as the sacred altar on Avhich the Druids offered " in the face of the sun and in the eye of light" their orisons to the Great Creator . It contains about 250 cubic feet , and is a sort of

rough argillaceous sand stone . A moderate application of strength will give it considerable motion Avhich may easily be continued Avith one hand . The upper side slopes around toAvards the centre or pivot , and it stands nearly in equilibrium on the

rock beneath the circumstance Avhich imparts to it its facility of motion . The prevalent opinion of the surrounding inhabitants respecting this ancient stone , is that the Druids imposed upon the credulity

of the country by pretending to Avork miracles from it , and that they offered human sacrifices thereon —vulgar errors that are not sustained by the most distant allusion of the primitive British bards and historians . The Maen Chwyf , or rocking-stone ,

is rarely mentioned by ancient Welsh authorities , but the Maen Llog ( stone of benefit ) , and Maen Gorsedd ( stone of the supreme seat ) frequently occur . These Avere the central stones , encompassed by circles of stones at various distances ,

that constituted the Druidic temples where worshi p "in the face of the sun" was solemnised , institutional instruction imparted , and bardic graduations ancl inaugurations solemnised . Several bardic congresses have been held on this stone . The

late distinguished Druid bard and profound Welsh antiquary , Iolo Morganwy ( Ecbvard Williams , of Glamorganshire ) , presided there so lately as in 1815 , shortly after the Battle of Waterloo . The last Gorsedd held there that I have heard of took

place on Monday , 22 nd Sept ., 1834 , the 21 st being the exact time of the autumnal equinox , and one of the four annual bardic festivals having fallen on a Monday , this Gorsedd would have taken place at the period of the Grand Royal Eisteddfod held the

preceding month at Cardiff , but that the indispensable notice of a year and a day had not expired from its first announcement . At this Gorsedd , Taliesin ab Iolo Morganwy , son of the said Iolo Morganwy—AVIIO gained the chair medal at that

Eisteddfod as Avell as the beautiful medal given by the Princess Yictoria and the Duchess of Kent—¦ presided , having opened it with the very ancient